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I always run god king nowadays to get an early pick of pantheon. Not sure it's always the best strategy but I enjoy the pantheon picking part of the game as it adds some extra flavour in how you pick spots for cities or early strategy.

Even without a religion you still get pantheons, and some of them are quite useful. Always always always put on God king at code of laws. the extra gold can sometimes be nice to buy a tile for that 3rd builder improvement inspiration. And you are usually still at one city at code of laws, so urban planning isn't that useful.

"Human behavior is economic behavior. The particulars may vary, but competition for limited resources remains a constant. Need as well as greed have followed us to the stars, and the rewards of wealth still await those wise enough to recognize this deep thrumming of our common pulse."

OK, thank you, interesting. It has nothing to do with getting a religion as far has I know. When you build a Holy Site and perhaps a Shrine you will soon reach the 25 faith points. But I am still unsure about the conclusion of this topic. It may be better to have a Pantheon in lets say 15-20 turns (plus some gold) than to have extra production. And then there is a question of being able to free pick a Pantheon. I normally go for Devine Right (I think that is the name, the one with extra specialists).

Even without a religion you still get pantheons, and some of them are quite useful. Always always always put on God king at code of laws. the extra gold can sometimes be nice to buy a tile for that 3rd builder improvement inspiration. And you are usually still at one city at code of laws, so urban planning isn't that useful.

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Good argument!

The more I think about it I am quite sure that if at 1 city then go for God King. If at 3 cities go for Urban Planning. 2 cities it is a question that can go two ways depending of the exact situation.

I usually use God King to get a pantheon unless I'm lucky with a relic from a village, or playing Indonesia.

Early man walked away as modern man took control.
Their minds weren't all the same, to conquer was his goal,
So he built his great empire and slaughtered his own kind,
Then he died a confused man, killed himself with his own mind​

I use that one most of the time until I get a Pantheon. I'll keep it on until I get a religion if I am in play for one.

In the taxable year when paid, in an amount determined in accordance with paragraph (1), if the contributions are paid toward the purchase of retirement annuities, or retirement annuities and medical benefits as described in section 401(h), and such purchase is part of a plan which meets the requirements of section 401(a)(3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17),1 (19), (20), (22), (26), (27), and (31) and, if applicable, the requirements of section 401(a)(10) and of section 401(d), and if refunds of premiums, if any, are applied within the current taxable year or next succeeding taxable year toward the purchase of such retirement annuities, or such retirement annuities and medical benefits.

OK, thank you, interesting. It has nothing to do with getting a religion as far has I know. When you build a Holy Site and perhaps a Shrine you will soon reach the 25 faith points. But I am still unsure about the conclusion of this topic. It may be better to have a Pantheon in lets say 15-20 turns (plus some gold) than to have extra production. And then there is a question of being able to free pick a Pantheon. I normally go for Devine Right (I think that is the name, the one with extra specialists).

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If you want to build a Holy Site that fast, then I wouldn't bother with God King at all. The +1 production will help you get your holy site up faster as well as other things.

Though I generally never start with God King because building stuff early is way more important.

Nowadays I only use it if I think I can get the 1st or 2nd pantheon, which almost always means that I'm getting faith from something else, too, and want to add to that. If I don't get a pantheon among the first ones, I find it doesn't matter then that much.

Also, that +1 prod isn't much, but still, time is of the essence in the beginning of the game.

I do the opposite, production really helps if you're rushing a holy site and shrine (which make the +1 faith gain a little insignificant). Getting your great person points accumulating asap is more important than faith for founding a religion, you can worry about faith afterward.

It's especially superior if you managed to pop out a settler before starting your holy site.

God king I only get when I see a pantheon will be very helpful, but have no plans to build a holy site anytime soon, or get a religion
-and haven't found a religious city-state before everyone.
-and haven't settled on a Tobacco source.

Founding a religion comes from holy sites (and, yes, divine spark can help, but I hate spending my one and only pantheon for that reason alone (although it does also give scientist and writer points,)) The only way god-king is going to help with a religion is if it gets you a pantheon that gives hammers to build a holy site.

That's not to say it isn't useful. I found a religion in almost none of my games but have a pantheon in every one.I usually opt for hammer-producing pantheons because hammers build you everything you need for all victory conditions.

So. to me, God-King's purpose is to get you a pantheon when 1.) you don't get an early relic, 2.) don't have a civ specific bonus that gets you early faith, and 3.) you haven't met a religious city state first (or snag a super-early quest.)

If the OP's question is what is better? 1hammer or 1faith AND 1 gold, my answer is that one hammer is better unless the faith is getting you your pantheon. And certainly when you have a second city and the cards yield 2 hammers or 1faith and a gold, the production is much better.